Wes Garcia – Bike EXIFhttp://www.bikeexif.com
Bike EXIF is a showcase for the world's most exciting custom motorcycles, from cafe racers to bobbers to scramblers.Fri, 09 Dec 2016 22:12:53 +0000en-UShourly1Ducati custom by Corse Motorcycleshttp://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-custom-by-corse-motorcycles
http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-custom-by-corse-motorcycles#respondThu, 05 Dec 2013 17:30:41 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=16486
Anthony Warnock is an ex-WSBK/MotoGP mechanic and now runs Corse Motorcycles in Perth, Australia. His specialty is late model Ducatis, having worked in Europe on the racing scene for 12 years, and for the factory itself in 2003. When he returned back to his home town, he was given the opportunity to set up his own shop—something he’d always dreamed of.

Anthony met Nat Graham-Helwig, the owner of this Ducati custom, through a mutual friend. Having worked on some of Nat’s bikes in the past (including a 1198S Corse) they became good friends.

One day, the two got talking about café racers and Sport Classics, and the next thing Anthony knew there was a 2006 Sport Classic on his bench. As Anthony puts it, “Once Nat gets something in his head, it all happens pretty quickly.”

The first goal was to build something that was different from what people had done in the past with the Ducati Sport Classic. But not defer too far away from what the bike originated from. “We looked at every part of the bike and discussed color, finish and whether we’d change it, then what options we had. We made sure we did the little things too, whether people noticed them or not.”

Because of his racing experience, this bike had to perform at the highest levels. “Having spent 12 years building race bikes in WSBK and MotoGP,” Anthony explains, “it was imperative that this bike was not just a timeless café racer to go for a cruise on, but also one I’d be more than happy to take to a local track day and throw some laps with the bigger boys.”

To get to this level, these two perfectionists spent a lot of time testing different parts and options. Like trying four sets of bars to get the seating position right, and clearance away from the tank. “We tried four different seat designs, and the paint scheme changed possibly ten times before we locked in what you see here.” In the end, both Anthony and Nat are happy with the end result. “It’s subtle but unique. It sounds and rides beautifully, and draws a crowd wherever it’s parked.”

No doubt in my mind that this Ducati will be turning heads in Perth for years to come.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/ducati-custom-by-corse-motorcycles/feed0Yamaha XT600Z by Plan Bhttp://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-xt600z
http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-xt600z#respondFri, 12 Jul 2013 17:30:08 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=15774
Lying forgotten in the corner of a garage in Italy, this 1988 Yamaha XT600Z was on life support before Christian Moretti of Plan B Motorcycles decided to apply the defibrillators. Not that he wasn’t up for the challenge. According to Christian, Plan B was born from a philosophy of Nothing To Lose. “Everything can be shaped, improved upon and expanded,” he says.

The first step in the resurrection was his favorite part: dismantling. “Everything away, one piece at a time until you leave the bare chassis.” Once that task was done, there was no turning back.

He started off with a pair of Showa 43mm upside-down forks taken from a Ducati 916, disassembled, overhauled and anodized black. The original hubs were laced to new San Remo aluminum rims with a 18″ front and a fat 17″ at the rear. The new road-oriented wheels and tires required a reinforcement to the XT600Z rear end to eliminate possible twisting. So a handmade truss runs across the top of the swingarm, surrounding a Ducati 1098 adjustable mono-shock.

The clip-ons, bicycle leather grips, and clutch and brake levers were borrowed from an old BSA. Christian then modified them to work with the radial master cylinder that controls a Brembo 4-pot caliper—required for the new 320mm floating discs.

The electrical system was revised and streamlined. Almost all the controls were moved to the top yoke, with three small levers to control the lights. The rev counter was pulled out of the dashboard and slipped into a jug (repurposed from an IKEA tea set!) and securely mounted to the top plate.

Meanwhile, the motor received major first aid. The crankcase and valve cover were completely disassembled and polished. The piston was replaced with a forged high-compression item that increases the displacement to 630cc. With the help of a new camshaft, a machined head, a new exhaust system and a pair of 35mm Keihin FCR flat slide carbs, the old single-cylinder can now handle 9,000rpm.

The headlight came from a Citroën 2CV “found at a local flea market,” with enough room left over to house part of the electrical system. On the top are pilot lights for neutral gear, the turn signals and high beam. The taillight also came from the automotive world, this time from a 1930s Ford Model A. It’s recessed into the Ducati Imola tail.

The tail was modified to adapt to the new frame, and also to make room for the rear indicators. Hidden under the tail is a new gel battery and the other half of the electrical wiring.

The tank comes from a Yamaha XS750, and required hardly any modifications to slip onto the single-beam XT frame. But the new riding position meant the footpegs (now from a Yamaha R1) had to be moved further back, using aluminum supports where the passenger footrests used to be.

The side panels, as well as the front fender, were taken from a Triumph Bonneville, while the belly pan came from a Thruxton. The paint job was done by Barbara of Rumi Custom Paint; she also airbrushed the small logo onto the tank and made a slender thread of gold leaf to separate the burgundy and cream used throughout the bike.

The XT600Z is now christened “Proto-Moto,” and Christian is pleased. “The bike feels light, pushes strong, and descends into corners very well. It seems to have completely forgotten about its off-road past, and likes to consume every inch of tire tread around corners!”

It’s quite a transformation for a bike that was gathering rust and dust in a corner, all but forgotten.

I guess it’s always good to have a Plan B. Head over to Google+ for more images in high resolution.

Wes Garcia is the chief editor of Megadeluxe, an online magazine covering the world of speed, sport and design. Images by Daniele Fontanin.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/yamaha-xt600z/feed0Honda CB550 by Meyerbuilthttp://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cb550-custom
http://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cb550-custom#respondSun, 30 Jun 2013 17:30:40 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=15728
Cliff Meyer is a pediatric ICU nurse during the day and builds motorcycles during his spare time. Inspired by watching motorcycle reality shows, Cliff taught himself how to weld and fabricate metal. From there he worked part time at a a small racing and fabrication shop until he started Meyerbuilt Metalworks about four years ago. His mentor through all of this has been his great-uncle Jerry Schwarz—one of Carroll Shelby’s chief mechanics and fabricators.

Cliff is based in Indiana, so I asked him if the state’s motorsport heritage influences his builds. “The racing culture affects my designs in that I don’t really put much on the bike that doesn’t need to be there. I prefer to just make a bike for what it is … riding.”

For this build, a 1974 Honda CB550, he took inspiration from aircraft design, since his client is in the United States Coast Guard. “This is where the rivets and polished aluminum accents come in,” Cliff noted.

The gas tank, fairing, tail section, and sub-frame are all handmade with a brushed finish. Graphics were done by Pete at Freelance Graphics in Indianapolis with the owner’s direction. The sub-frame was then polished to show some contrast to the frame and tins.

Other custom fabricated items include the rear swingarm. The main structure is stock CB550, but bracing and mounts were added to the monoshock.

There is a small “cockpit” plate on the top triple clamp that holds the ignition and a bicycle speedometer. There’s also a smartphone mount that Cliff customized to fit in the steering stem. A USB charging port is conveniently located under the seat, so his client’s smartphone can be plugged in for GPS navigation.

The turn signals are all Cliff’s original design, using LEDs and custom housings up front and attached to custom headlight mounts. The rear signals are frenched into the sub-frame, and the tail light is frenched into a housing in the tail.

The battery and fuses are inside the tail too, with the regulator/rectifier mounted under the sub-frame. All wiring is hidden under a plate mounted under sub-frame.

The seat was upholstered by Kent Upholstery in Indianapolis. “Kevin Kent is a great guy and his work speaks for itself. He’s done three previous seats for me … and is getting a fourth soon!”

The Honda engine had a top-end going through by Cliff’s good friend Rob Lemon. “Rob did my last bike engine, and it hasn’t needed to be touched in over a year.”

The exhaust is a complete custom 2-2 stainless system. This was an added “option” that the owner and Cliff talked about. Together they decided that the CB550 would look great with a brushed stainless exhaust and went with it.

Mufflers are from Cone Engineering, the wheels are Harley-Davidson, front end is from a 2004 GSX-R600 and the front rotors are from a Hayabusa. Tires are Shinkos and brakes are GSX-R front and rear.

The frame was powder-“flawlessly”-coated satin black by KeCo Coatings in Indianapolis.

All the Honda parts came from Dime City Cycles. “I want to thank them for being so helpful and quick with the shipping,” says Cliff. “I’ll be turning to them again on my next project.”

Recently, Cliff got the owner’s permission to ride the bike to a local show. “It got some really nice feedback from the observers. It was great to hear all the positive comments on the bike.”

Cliff thoroughly tests all his bikes before hand-off. “Riding the bike was great, and I’ve put 100 miles on her. She handles great, and has very good response. I know Mike (the owner) is gonna love it. I can’t wait to deliver it to him.”

Wes Garcia is the chief editor of Megadeluxe, an online magazine covering the world of speed, sport and design. Images by Kyle Stevenson.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/honda-cb550-custom/feed0“Riverside Racer” by Analoghttp://www.bikeexif.com/wards-riverside
http://www.bikeexif.com/wards-riverside#respondFri, 31 May 2013 17:30:49 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=15608
The latest build from Tony Prust of Analog Motorcycles is this 1966 Wards Riverside—a bike that originated from an unlikely marriage between Chicago’s Montgomery Ward and Benelli motorcycles of Italy.

From 1959 to 1969 Montgomery Ward, the now defunct department store, sold motorcycles and scooters via a mail-order catalogue. Under the brand name of “Wards Riverside,” the relabeled bikes were supplied by Benelli. (Interesting that Montgomery Ward decided to rebrand these bikes, since many of the most famous racers during the 1960s rode Benellis.) Montgomery Ward would ship the motorcycles in crates, and it was up to the customer to both uncrate and assemble the bikes.

With all this unique history, it was no surprise to Tony that his client insisted on keeping intact the Wards Wheeled Goods serial number badge, and the Montgomery Ward logo.

Tony started the build by swapping out the front end with an EBR moped hydraulic set up, raising the rear with some slightly taller shocks, and re-lacing the hubs to powder coated aluminum wheels with polished stainless steel spokes. He then mounted Sava MC11 Moped racing tires. The engine was rebuilt and polished, and for maximum performance he installed a K&N air filter on a NOS replacement Dell’Orto Carb.

Unsure of what was the best option for tuning, Tony modified an aftermarket expansion chamber from a Kreidler Mustang to mount on the Wards, and had it ceramic coated. He then modified the rear subframe, fabricated a new seat pan with a speed hump, and wired in an LED taillight set up. Magura controls and NOS cables were mounted up, along with clip ons and CRG blind sight mirrors.

The stock Wards Riverside tank was treated to new paint scheme, as was the rest of the bike, in a silver metallic with orange and black accents. The detailed hand pin-striping was expertly done by Brando, and the paint by Kiel at Crown Auto Body. The seat was upholstered by Rod’s Designs. The bike has all new wiring, and the old rollerball bearing wheels were converted to sealed bearing units. Worn rubber pegs were replaced with lowered and hard-mounted aluminum pegs.

]]>http://www.bikeexif.com/wards-riverside/feed0Harley Cross Bones by Warr’shttp://www.bikeexif.com/harley-davidson-crossbones
http://www.bikeexif.com/harley-davidson-crossbones#respondWed, 22 May 2013 17:30:23 +0000http://www.bikeexif.com/?p=15568
The latest build from Charlie Stockwell of London-based Warr’s Customs is this Harley-Davidson Cross Bones built at the behest of a former Formula 1 champion. It’s decked in the trademark red-and-white livery of the McLaren F1 team that became famous during the era of Ayrton Senna. With a handmade F1-inspired exhaust system, and a one-off brake system from the Japanese company Akebono, this bike is strikingly different from the designs Stockwell has created in the past.

Taking inventory of Charlie’s past work, it’s amazing to me how each build is so different, and creative from bike-to-bike. But as Charlie explains, “It’s not all about the visual of the bike. The performance and handling characteristics are just as important. Every bike I design and build must handle, perform and ride as well as any original Harley. I don’t like the idea of a customer having a bike that looks great but is horrible to ride.”

According to Charlie, this Cross Bones needed the performance and the handling to match its extreme look. After all, racing was the backbone of Harley-Davidson for over a century—bringing hard-core enthusiasts together on and off the track.

Charlie turned to the Warr’s Racing Team (which works closely with the official Racing Team in Milwaukee) to put together an engine capable of fueling adrenalin and delivering high-performance. The result is a tuned Screamin’ Eagle 120ci Twin Cam motor producing 156 bhp and 140 ft/lb of torque. Although it has brute power, it’s been carefully tuned to be ‘rideable’ at the lower rpm range as well as high.

The brakes needed to be special for this build. In Charlie’s mind, who better than Akebono, the guys who are the current supplier and sponsor of the McLaren F1 team? Akebono worked closely with Charlie throughout the design, development and testing. Three titanium monobloc calipers, brake discs, clutch and brake master cylinders were made especially just for this project. According to Charlie, it’s a first of its kind and unheard of in this industry.

Since suspension defines the riding experience, the choice was easy for Charlie: it had to be Öhlins USA. He worked closely with Öhlins Racing to build a pair of World Super Bike specification race forks capable of working well with the extra weight that a Harley carries—especially when compared with a more nimble 175kg race machine. They were fitted to a huge pair of Honor Moto triple trees. He also fitted Öhlins springs inside the rear shock absorbers to give it good balance and feel all round.

Charlie is known for taking full control on the look, but on the Cross Bones he worked closely with the customer on the styling. Fabrication of the bodywork was handled by Charlie and his trusted ally and friend Russell Brown. These two are the brains behind all that comes out of Warr’s King’s Road customs. The gas tank was thanks to Pete Pearson. The supple leather used on the small solo saddle was sourced from McLaren; it’s the same as currently used on McLarens MP4 road car.

According to Charlie, the bike has to be seen to be fully appreciated. I don’t doubt that, but it looks brilliant from here.